Ironing table



IRONING TABLE Filed March 25, 1933 2 SheetsSheet l [N VEN TOR. B Y fad! ATT NEY May 8, 1934. s. WILLIAMS 1,957,685

IRONING TABLE Filed March 25, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 11v VEN T R.

ATT EY Patented May 8, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE IRONING TABLE tion of Michigan Application March 25,

7 Claims.

This invention relates to ironing tables and particularly to such tables that may be folded and which are light in weight, although very rigid when in unfolded or operative position.

The principal object of my invention is to provide an ironing table with folding legs so constructed and arranged that when unfolded, they will support the board in position for ironing; they will afford a free end, unobstructed by braces or supports, to receive garments of any description to permit the ironing thereof without folding or wrinkling during such ironing.

A further object is to provide an ironing table which is light in weight and which can be folded up compactly and occupy but little space when not in use or when being shipped.

A further object is to provide an ironing table in which the supporting legs are locked in open or operative position so that the same can not accidentally collapse.

A still further object is to provide an ironing table with folding legs and brace members and a lock or latch so constructed and arranged that by the mere act of unfolding the table to operative position, the latch will automatically lock the respective elements to thereby maintain the table in operative position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a brace extending between the front and rear legs which will prevent the legs from spreading when the same are unfolded and which may be adjusted to maintain the top board in a true horizontal position.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the improved ironing table and its component parts as set forth in the specification to follow, and the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout 40 the several views,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the ironing table in unfolded or operative position.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the ironing table in partially folded position.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2, showing part of the leg structure and the associated latch mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3, showing further details of the latch mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a detailed fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 1, showing one of the pivotal supports for the latch member.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary top plan view, looking in the direction of the arrows 66 of Fig. 1,

1933, Serial No. 662,644

showing the adjusting mechanism for the brace extending between the front and rear legs.

Heretofore various types and designs of folding ironing tables have been on the market but such tables were objectionable in that they were heavy and cumbersome without enough rigidity to function properly, or if they were light in weight, they soon became unstable and wobbly,

thus making it disagreeable to properly iron garments thereon. Furthermore, ironing tables which had a free unobstructed front end were not properly supported so that they were unsatisfactory and unstable after limited use.

I have overcome the objections heretofore present in ironing tables and have provided such a table that is very light in weight; one in which the front end is entirely free and unobstructed, and which is very rigid when in operative or unfolded position. In fact, my improved ironing table will support a weight of 200 pounds on the front free end of the table without damage to the same and without effecting the rigidity of the table.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the top or ironing board 10 has a pair of spaced longitudinally extending cleats 11 secured to the underface thereof. If desired, a crossed cleat 12 may also be provided to add strength and rigidity to the structure and to prevent the top board 10 from warping.

A front leg or crutch formed of the two members 13 and 13 are preferably connected at their lower ends by the rivet 14 and. pivoted at their upper ends at 15 to the cleats 11, as is clearly indicated in Fig. 2. The rear legs are formed of the two members 16 and 16' pivoted at their upper ends at 17 to the cleats 11, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Adjacent to the lower ends of the rear legs 16 and 16 is a cross member 18 secured thereto by screws or other suitable fastening means. 16' adjacent to the top ends thereof is a cross rod 19 which, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, extends through slots 20 formed in the front leg members 13 and 13'. Mounted on the cross rod 19 and positioned between the respective front and rear legs are ferrules or elongated washers 21 which maintain the front and rear legs in proper spaced relation relative to each other.

When the table is in unfolded or operative position as illustrated in Fig. 1, the cross rod 19 is at the upper ends of the slots 20 and bears against the front leg members 13 and 13' to thus assist in providing a stable structure and preventing the front and rear legs from undue spreading Extending between the rear legs 16 and i secured one end of the brace member 3'7.

apart. As the table is moved to folded position, the rod 19 will move in the slots 20 and due to the relative position and arrangement of the front and rear legs, will tend to move the front leg members 13 and 13' to such folded position as indicated in Fig. 2.

A U-shaped brace member 22 having legs 23 and a connecting portion 23 is pivotally supported at 15, which are the same pivots that connect the front leg members 13 and 13' to the cleats 11 formed on the under-face of the top board 10. This U-shaped member 22 is preferably formed so that the connecting or bottom portion 23' thereof will seat in a slot or recess 24 formed in the cross member 18 for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

Links or connecting members 25 are pivoted at their upper ends at 26 to the rear legs 16 and 16' and at their bottom ends at 27 to the legs 23 of the U-shaped member 22 heretofore described. Thus when the table is in unfolded or operative position, the U-shaped member 22 and the links 25 form a brace between the top board 10 and the rear legs 16 and 16.

To prevent folding or collapsing of the table when in use, I provide a lock or latch mechanism which comprises a bar 28 having keepers or latch members 29 formed at right angles thereto, and extending through slots 30 formed in the cross member 18. The latch bar 28 is pivotally supported on trunnions 31 secured to the cross member 18 by screws or other suitable means 32, as is clearly illustrated in Fig. 5. When the table is in unfolded or in operative position, the keepers 29 will engage with the rear face of the bottom portion 23' of the U-shaped member 22 heretofore described, as is clearly illustrated in Fig. 4, to thus prevent the movement of the U-shaped brace member or the collapsing of the table.

As it is desirable to release the keepers 29 in a convenient and easy manner, I provide a release member comprising a strap or bar 33 secured at its upper end to the latch bar 28 and having a portion 34 extending rearwardly beneath the cross member 18 which may be easily engaged by the toe of the operator to release the keepers 29. I also preferably provide a coiled spring 35 secured at its one end to the cross member 18 and having its opposite end engage the rear face of the member 33 which will tend to urge the keepers 29 upwardly to engage with the bottom portion 23 of the U-shaped member 22. When it is desired to release the latches or keepers 29, the operator can unlatch the same by pressing on the extension 34 of the bar 23 which will rotate the bar 28 on its pivots 31 against the tension of the spring 35 to release the keepers or latches 29.

Secured to the bottom portion 23' of the U- shaped member is a slotted plate 36 to which is A corresponding brace member 38 is secured to the rivet 14 in the front legs 13 and 13'. The free ends of the braces 37 and 38 are supported in the U-shaped member 39, as is clearly illustrated in Fig. 6. As illustrated, the brace member 3'7 has a stop at the free end thereof to limit its movement in one direction relative to the U-shaped member 39, while the brace member 38 extends through the upturned ears of this U-shaped member and is adjustably limited in its movement with respect thereto by the nut 40 threaded thereon. Although the brace member 3'7 is shown as having a stop, it is apparent that either brace member may be provided with a stop, or if desired both brace members may have adjusting nuts thereon.

It will be readily understood that the brace comprising the rods 37 and 38 which extend between the plate 36 and the front leg elements 13 and 13', will prevent the front and rear legs from spreading apart when the table is unfolded or in operative position, and forms a rigid brace between those members so that relative movement between the legs is prevented. It will furthermore be observed that by adjusting the nut 40 on the brace rod 38, the relative angular position between the front and rear legs may be changed and that the top board may be brought to a true horizontal plane.

Assuming that the table is in unfolded or operative position and it is desired to fold the same. the operator may grasp the rear corners of the top board with her hands and unlatch the keepers 29 by pressing downwardly on the part 34 with her toe. By a slight movement of the foot, the rear legs will be moved forwardly to overlap the front leg elements 13 and 13, or in other words. to a position slightly beyond that illustrated in Fig. 2. Conversely, when it is desired to unfold the table, the operator may grasp the rear end of the top board, as illustrated in Fig. 2, and pull rearwardly on the U-shaped member 22, whereupon after the table has been moved to about the position shown in Fig. 2, she may pivot the same on the nose of the front leg elements 13 and 13, and by downward pressure on the rear end of the top board 10, swing the table to open position, whereupon the latch members 29 will automatically engage with the U-shaped member 22 and thus lock the table in open or operative position.

While I have described one embodiment of my invention, it will be understood to those skilled in the art that detailed changes can be made therein without departing from the spirit and substance of my invention and I do not desire to limit my invention to the exact details shown and described, but the scope of the same will be limited only by the sub-joined claims.

What I claim is:

1. An ironing table comprising, a top board, crossed front and rear legs pivotally connected to the underside of said board, a cross member connecting said rear legs, a U-shaped member pivotally connected to said top board having its connected end engageable with said cross member, links pivotally connected at their respective ends with said rear legs and U-shaped member, a latch mounted on said cross member operable to lock said U-shaped member thereto, and a brace extending between the connected end of said U-shaped member and front legs to maintain said table in operative position.

2. An ironing table comprising, a top board, crossed front and rear legs pivotally connected to the underside of said top board, a cross member connecting said rear legs, a cross rod connected to said rear legs slidable in slots in said front legs, a U-shaped member pivotally supported at its free ends by said top board having its connecting portion engageable with said cross member, a brace extending betwen said U-shaped member and front legs to maintain said front and rear legs in a predetermined operative position, and means on said cross member to lock said Ushaped member against movement to maintain said table in operative position.

3. An ironing board comprising, a top board, crossed front and rear legs pivotally connected to the underside of said top board, a cross member connecting said rear legs, a cross rod connected to said rear legs slidable in slots in said front legs, a U-shaped member pivotally connected with said top board having its connected portion adjacent to said cross member, and a manually operable latch supported on said cross member to lock said U-shaped member against movement to thereby maintain said table in operative position and movable to unlatch said U-shaped member to permit folding of said front and rear legs against said top board.

4. In a folding ironing table comprising, a top board and crossed front and rear legs pivotally connected to the underside of said board, having in combination therewith, a U-shaped member carried by said board, a cross member connecting said rear legs, a latch having a rearwardly extending operating member to lock said U-shaped member to said cross member, and a brace connecting the connecting portion of said U-shaped member, and front legs to maintain said table in operative position.

5. In a folding ironing table comprising, a top board and crossed front and rear legs pivotally connected thereto, having in combination therewith a cross member connecting said rear legs, a brace member extending from said cross member to said top board, a latch for locking said brace member in operative position, said latch having a rearwardly directed extension beneath the cross member to be engaged by the operator to release the latch, and means extending between said front legs and brace member to maintain said front and rear legs in a predetermined operative position.

6. An ironing board comprising, a top board, crossed front and rear legs pivotally connected to said top board, a cross member connecting said rear legs, a U-shaped member pivotally connected to said top board, means to cause said U- shaped member to swing into engagement with said cross member when the board is set up into operative position, means to lock said U- shaped member against movement relative to said cross member, and means connecting said U- shaped member and front legs to maintain said table in operative position.

'7. An ironing board comprising, a top board, crossed front and rear legs pivotally connected to said top board, a cross member connecting said rear legs, a latch having a rearwardly directed releasing element for convenient access to the operator pivotally mounted on said cross member, a brace member pivotally connected to said top board, means pivotally connected with said rear legs and brace member to cause said brace member to swing into engagement with said latch when the board is set up into operative position, and means connected to said rear legs to engage with said front legs to maintain said table in operative position.

LEWIS S. WILLIAMS. 

